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Frequently Asked Questions


  1. How quick will rust occur after BAKING SODA BLASTING?
  2. Will BAKING SODA BLASTING work on fiberglass cars, like Corvettes?
  3. Why do you recommend BLAKING SODA BLASTING as a DRY BLAST method on cars?
  4. After BAKING SODA BLASTING what kind of prep work should be done before painting?
  5. Can you Strip a complete car?
  6. Can BAKING SODA BLASTING be used on projects with glass still in?
  7. How long does it take to strip an automobile with BAKING SODA?
  8. Does BAKING SODA BLASTING remove rust?
  9. Is BAKING SODA BLASTING environmentally friendly?
  10. Will Baking Soda Blasting work for fire restoration?
  11. Will BAKING SODA BLASTING damage or warp body panels?
  12. What is BAKING SODA BLASTING?

 

 How quick will rust occur after BAKING SODA BLASTING?

Soda Bicarbonate is a natural RUST INHIBITOR, when using it as a blast media it will leave a coating on the metal that will inhibit rust for a long period of time.  It is necessary to keep the project stored in a dry area.  We have had cars go longer than 3 months without any signs of rust and that's here in Florida's humid climate! However, we do recommend that the project get a primer coat on as quickly as possible.

 

 Will BAKING SODA BLASTING work on fiberglass cars, like Corvettes?

Yes, Soda Blasting is the safest blasting media for fiberglass.  Due to the softness of the media, when applied properly, you can remove coatings without damage to the fiberglass leaving a very smooth finish. It is also the ONLY media that can be used to strip rubberized bumpers without warping the rubber. This Corvette has it's interior, glass and engine in tact. It was stripped and completley cleaned in 5 hours at our South Florida facility.

 Why do you recommend BLAKING SODA BLASTING as a DRY BLAST method on cars?

We have had requests for Soda Blasting using a wet method on cars to keep down the dust. Although there are companies that will provide this service we highly discourage it. When baking soda comes into contact with water it becomes a muddy substance that is heavy and hard to get out of panels on cars. When this mud dries it becomes extremely hard and cakes up attracting moisture in hard to get to areas. As you know moisture creates rust!     

 Can you strip a complete car?

We have stripped $100,000.00 cars, drive in and drive out with no problems.  We use a special rubberized tape to seal all the door seams, trunk seams, hood seams and anywhere that can allow baking soda into the interior.  In the engine compartment, we use a plastic bag to cover the intake and pack wool blankets (wool traps soda particles and stops their egression into protected area) around the engine and engine components for their protection.  When we have completed the project we use high volume dry air pressure to blow down the car removing all signs of the baking soda.  Once we remove the protection we do another blow down and detail out the interior in the event that anybaking  soda managed to get inside.  When a car leaves our South Florida Facility the only evidence that it has been soda blasted is that the paint has been removed.  Understand that completing a car this way will leave a ½ inch painted area around anywhere that was protected with the protective tape.  This will have to be removed by conventional methods.

This Rolls Royce was stripped with the interior and engine in tact. The owner wanted the door jambs stripped also so we taped up the openings with cardboard and plastic to prevent the Baking Soda from getting inside the car.

 

 Does BAKING SODA BLASTING remove rust?

Sodablasting will remove light surface rust only. It will neutralize any remaining rust but will not bring the surface back to shiny metal. We normally remove all the paint, body filler and undercoating by soda blasting.  Then in areas that are rusted we will use a very fine abrasive to remove the imbedded rust.  With this procedure we spend very little time with the abrasive. Removing all the coatings prior to using the abrasive dictates that we spend less time on the surface removing rust.  This limited time allows us to safely remove the rust without damaging or warping the metal. It also prevents a large build up of abrasives in the vehicle. And we all lnow from experience how hard it is to get medias other that Baking Soda out of the car! How many times have you had a project sand blasted only to find sand 5 years later still there or to have it blowing back at you while your PAINTING your car? 

 

 Can BAKING SODA BLASTING be used on projects with the glass still in?

Baking Soda Blasting will not harm glass, rubber, chromed metal or polished stainless steel. It can dull the finish on polished aluminum automotive trim and should not be used unless it is protected or a dull finish is acceptable. We have blasted complete vehicles where the glass, chrome and weather stripping actually came out cleaner than when we started.

 

 How long does it take to strip an automobile with BAKING SODA?

That really depends on the project and how much paint, what kind of paint and how much body filler is to be removed. Body filler can either be removed or left intact depending on the customer’s preference.  Normally a medium sized car (i.e. Chevelle) EXTERIOR only would take anywhere from 5 to 7 hours.  A full Rotisserie which would include the interior, underside, inside and outside of all fenders, hood and deck lid, engine compartment and trunk compartment could take as long as 10 to 14 hours.

This '39 Sedan Delivery took 7 hours to strip. As you can see the owner did not want to remove the body fillers to save time.

 Is BAKING SODA BLASTING environmentally friendly?

YES, we use a FOOD GRADE baking soda which has a PH of 8.4. We use no solvents or strippers in the coating removal process.  The only protection gear needed for the process is a respirator which is used for protection from breathing the dust generated by the process and hearing protection for the noise.

Will BAKING SODA BLASTING work for fire restoration?

Soda Blasting will remove smoke damage on Brick,, Stone, Ceramic, Glass, Mortor, Concrete and Wood without damage. Also,  baking soda will help absorb the smoke odor while it is cleaning. It can be swept up and removed along with the odor!

 Will BAKING SODA BLASTING damage or warp body panels?

Soda Bicarbonate is an extremely soft media (2.4 on a Mohs scale).  We use an industrial grade of Baking Soda that is manufatured specifically for Media Blasting. All other Medias remove coatings by friction, which causes heat to be generated.  Baking Soda particles explode upon contact with the surface creating energy.  The release of this explosive energy basically blasts off the coating without generating enough heat to cause even extremely thin metals to warp.  Using Baking Soda we can safely strip a soft drink can without distortion. You can successfully strip automobiles without removing the glass, chrome or rubber as the Baking Soda will not harm any of these surfaces.


 What is BAKING SODA BLASTING?

Baking Soda Blasting is a process that can strip almost any surface in an efficient and safe manner.  Although similar to traditional sand blasting, Baking Soda Blasting has the significant advantage of cleaning the surface without causing harm to the substrate or the environment. Baking Soda Blasting easily removes paint, coatings, grease, oils, gasket material and surface corrosion from a variety of metals, alloys, plastics, wood, masonary and composites without surface damage or distortion. Unlike other media, Bakig Soda does not use friction to remove coatings so there is no heat created. This prevents warping and pitting of metal. Try Baking Soda Blasting on your next restoration project and see the diference.

 

After BAKING SODA BLASTING what kind of prep work should be done before painting?

A thorough pressure washing is necessary to remove the soda residue before ANY coatings or fillers are applied. This is very important; WATER is the only way to remove the baking soda.  Do not try to remove it any other way, it will not work and you may experience a coating failure.  We recommend a chemical called HoldTight 102, which when used properly will remove all Salts, Chlorides and Contaminates on the metal.  Even though pressure washing with clean water works fine to remove the baking soda residue, we recommend the use of this chemical due to the added benefits.  HoldTight 102 will give a window of 48 to 96 hours without flash rusting.  Also when used properly it can increase the adhesion of your coatings by as much a 70%.  HoldTight 102 changes the surface tension of the water allowing it to flush out areas that normal pressure washing MAY not get into.  HoldTight works on most substrates; however on wood surfaces we recommend a citric acid or 1 part vinegar to 3 part water solution wash before applying any coatings.

 

 

 

Professional Soda and Media Blasting by Blast Masters
3601 Prospect Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33404 (561) 685-5378
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